Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41327437›Full record

Trial reportBMC psychology2025

A four-session mindfulness-based cognitive therapy enhances problem-focused coping strategies in mothers of neonates in NICUs.

Reihane Moghimian Shahrbabaki, Naeime Arasteh, Monirsadat Nematollahi, Atefe Ahmadi, Behnaz Bagherian

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC psychology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Reihane Moghimian ShahrbabakiReproductive and family health research center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6273-4064
Naeime ArastehDepartment of pediatric and neonatal intensive nursing, Razi faculty of Nursing and Midwifery , Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Monirsadat NematollahiReproductive and family health research center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Atefe AhmadiReproductive and family health research center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Behnaz BagherianNursing Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran. behnaz_bag@yahoo.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe birth of an infant with an abnormality or a postpartum disease and subsequent admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is very stressful for mothers. The adoption of effective coping strategies can enable the mother to tolerate the critical conditions of the newborn’s illness. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a short-term (four 2-hour sessions) mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) program on improving coping strategies among mothers of infants admitted to the NICU.

methodsThis quasi-experimental study was conducted using a pre-test-post-test design on 50 mothers of preterm infants hospitalized in the NICU of Afzalipur Hospital, Kerman, Iran. The mothers recruited through convenience sampling, then randomly assigned to experimental (MBCT) and control groups (25 mothers each). The MBCT program involved four 2-hour sessions, focusing on mindfulness exercises, stretching, meditation, and cognitive restructuring, for the participants in the intervention group. The participants in the control group received routine NICU care. The Ways of Coping Checklist (WCCL) and the demographic information form were completed before and after the intervention by the participants in both groups. Data were collected before and one month after the intervention, analysed using paired and independent t-tests via SPSS-25.

resultsThe intervention group showed a significant increase in problem-focused coping strategies and a decrease in emotion-focused coping strategies post-intervention (P < 0.001). There were no significant changes in the control group. The between-group comparison confirmed the effectiveness of MBCT in enhancing adaptive coping.

conclusionsA brief MBCT program can effectively improve maternal coping strategies and mental health in mothers experiencing neonatal stress. These findings suggest that integrating short-term mindfulness interventions into NICU care protocols may support maternal resilience and foster healthier mother-infant interactions. This study highlights the potential of scalable, low-cost psychological interventions for enhancing parental well-being in high-stress neonatal care settings.

trial registrationThis quasi-experimental study was not registered in a clinical trial registry because it did not meet the criteria for trial registration.

Indexed as

Adaptation, PsychologicalCognitive Behavioral TherapyCoping SkillsMindfulnessMothersStress, PsychologicalAdultFemaleHumansInfant, NewbornInfant, PrematureIntensive Care Units, NeonatalIranCognitive therapyCoping strategiesInfantsMindfulnessMothersNICU

Identifiers

PMID41327437
PMCPMC12777478

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.